photo by Pictures from Heather

So it's 2009 and parents everywhere are teaching their daughters to become sidewalk sales superstars, hawking their cookies to the masses. A tradition for more than 90 years, as early as 1917, they began encouraging the Scouts to bake their own cookies locally. They've been going strong ever since - except for WWII when they sold calendars instead.

According to an article on CNN Money titled, "Girl Scout Cookies: A tasty lesson in business," - what began as a simple way to raise funds has turned into a $700 million business and that the cookie drive teaches young women to become entrepreneurs.

It's no joke. Supposedly in 2008, 15-year-old Jennifer Sharpe from Dearborn, Michigan sold 17,328 boxes of cookies. As if that's not enough; "The Cookie Queen" Elizabeth Brinton is attrubuted for having sold more than 100 000 box in her time as a Girl Scout between 1978 and 1985.

"I push a lot," she is quoted as saying, "Sometimes they would try to sneak past you, and you look them in the eye and make them feel guilty. After all, the cookies taste good, and it for a good cause."

Here is a recipe from girlscouts.org (possibly from the 1930's):

AN EARLY GIRL SCOUT COOKIE® RECIPE

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar plus additional amount for topping (optional)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

"Cream butter and the cup of sugar; add well-beaten eggs, then milk, vanilla, flour, salt, and baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll dough, cut into trefoil shapes, and sprinkle sugar on top, if desired. Bake in a quick oven (375°) for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Makes six- to seven-dozen cookies."

- Dave Koch